William Kittrell

Work History

Sep 2004 - Present

Workshop Leader; Site Consultant; Evaluation Team Leader and Member

As an International Baccalaureate workshop leader, I specialize in Inquiry, Promoting International-mindedness, the Role of the Arts and an Introduction to the Primary Years Programme. In the spring of 2013, I will be co-leading a new workshop called "Encouraging children's creative instincts in the classroom." I am very excited about leading a workshop in this topic so near and dear to me.

I also visit schools as a verification and evaluation leader or team member, allowing me to see first hand how schools all over America are implementing the PYP.

Aug 2013 - Present

Aug 2009 - Aug 2012

Fifth Grade Teacher

During my 3 years back in the classroom, I was able to apply my working knowledge of transdisciplinary inquiry in a way that truly allowed students to make connections all across the curriculum. Reading and writing skills, visual and mathematical literacy; all grew organically from the student's own natural passions. Using theatre to explore meaning in text became a daily practice here.

Aug 2000 - Aug 2009

Visual Arts Teacher

During my time as the Visual Arts teacher at AIES, I had the unique opportunity to connect to over 30 units of inquiry from Kindergarten through Fifth Grade, collaborating with as many classroom teachers. Students extended their learning from their regular classroom teachers through the perspective of a performing artist and a visual artist and acquired the skills that creative people use to express their learning in a more compelling way.

Sep 1998 - Aug 2000

Talented and Gifted Resource Teacher

Setting up individual learning plans for identified students, the students I saw flourished in an environment that honored their interests, clarified their visions, and allowed them to set goals and work towards these in a timely and productive manner.

Education

Education

Jan 1980 - May 1984

Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education

University of Arizona

Interest

Songwriting

Creativity

Aboriginal ways of Knowing

Protecting the Planet

Sustainable Living

Health and Wellness

Authentic Inquiry

Staying current

Play

Summary

I am available for in-school inquiry workshops where I will inspire your team and equip them with the tools and processes to develop an inquiry rich curriculum. When I visit your school, it will not be a sit and get, but will get people moving, laughing, thinking, and creating! I believe that inquiry and creativity flourish when conditions are set for them, and I plan to get you there. A born constructivist and self-trained performance artist, I have gathered a variety of engaging and practical strategies for releasing the natural love for learning that teachers and students both possess.

Objective

I would like to be in a position that allows me to share what I know about creativity and inquiry. I enjoy working with teachers and students, and my goal is simple but not easy: Learn how to learn, make it fun and keep healthy! We can find this through authentic inquiry and creative play without turning our backs on standards.

Skills

Skills

Web 2.0 in the classroom

I stay current with the latest tools and apps to make learning more accessible and collaborative. I set up workspaces for teachers and students as a matter of practice, and this can be yet another expression of how we share the planet and evidence our growth.

Arts-integrated Curriculum Design

The Arts are a natural integrating focus as children effortlessly express themselves through movement, drama, song and vision. Artists experiment like scientists, calculate as mathematicians, forever study each other and the world around them, and record their experience in novel ways, both written and otherwise. Artists take action to change their world.

Curriculum Design

Using graphic organizers and concept maps to make our thinking visible, I will show you how to connect anything to anything.

Inquiry

Inquiry requires nothing less than ALL of you. For me, it is tuning into the curriculum of the now. It is the place we start and where we end, and requires no technology or tools to be completed, though those often come in handy.

Certifications

Certifications

Jul 1986 - Jul 2014

Professional Teacher

Colorado Dept. of Education

References

References

Donna Priester

Peggy Healer

Peggy also works for the IBO and is a faithful resource for best practice.

Susan Paulson

Jim Mahoney

Jim hired me at his PYP school back in 1998 and introduced me to the IB world, of which I am eternally grateful for.